The man suspected of killing 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard attempted to purchase an AR-15 last week but was denied, according to CBS News.
Sources told CBS that Aaron Alexis tried to buy the weapon at a Virginia gun store last week after test firing it. When the store refused, Alexis bought the shotgun he used Monday in the massacre. It’s unclear why the store denied Alexis the AR-15, according to CBS. Alexis was ultimately shot and killed by police.
Initial reports following the mass shooting indicated that authorities found Alexis with an AR-15 in his possession, a detail that was ultimately proven to be incorrect.
In the days following the shooting, it’s become clear that Alexis had a troubled history. While living in Texas, he allegedly tampered with his roommate’s car and once terrified a neighbor after he fired a bullet into her home. Alexis had been receiving treatment for serious mental problems in the weeks leading up to the rampage.
This post has been updated.